You're Welcome
by ThuhJesheekuh
Summary: Several years have passed and Scout is still brooding about the fact that she and Jem never gave Boo anything in return. Something of an Epilogue to the book.


This was an assignment I had to do last year after reading To Kill a Mockingbird in my 10th grade English class. I didn't like the class, or the teacher, but I loved the book. And I was fairly satisfied with the results of the assignment, so I decided to post it. Hope you all enjoy.

It's been about ten years since Jem's injury healed, but I still think about Boo- Arthur; how he saved Jem and me from Bob Ewell; how the gifts he left in the knothole delighted us. But whenever I do, I get a horrible sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach, because I think of how we played that game about him and how we tried to make him come out. I wish I could make that go away.

Dill came back for the summer again last year, but this time he stayed. He never forgets he's engaged to me anymore. He remembers all the time. In fact, he even made it official. It feels weird to be wearing a ring all the time. We live in Miss Rachel's house now. She got sick a little while ago and Dr. Reynolds sent her to the hospital over in Abbot County.

Jem bounced back like Dr. Reynolds said he would. He went back to the coach and tried out for the school team. Now he's playing football for Alabama State; a star quarterback, just like he'd always wanted. He's going to be a lawyer, just like Atticus.

Actually, Atticus retired a few years after Tom Robinson's trial. I guess he was getting too old for it. He still does a little bit of law work, but if he does he works out of the house. Cal still works with him, but she's getting rather feeble as well.

We always knew Mr. Nathan Radley was alive. He continued with his same routine of walking to town at eleven-thirty in the morning and returning at twelve-noon. But one day he didn't make it to town. One day he shuddered to a stop and fell at the halfway point. He had been old, and his heart had grown weak.

I still remember Miss Maudie telling me she knew Mr. Arthur was alive because she hadn't seen him carried out yet. But a few days after Mr. Nathan died, we all knew Boo was dead. I guess he couldn't take care of himself, having lived with his mother and father and brother and never leaving the Radley house. From what we can figure, he realized his brother wasn't coming back, and he was too scared to come out.

We didn't need them to carry him out to know he'd died. The shotgun that he fired accomplished that task quite well. But they had to carry him out anyway...

Dill and I were two of very few that went to the Radley funerals. I wrote a letter to Jem telling him the news and he was in Maycomb the next day. They were too introverted for there to be enough people who cared about them. The few of us that were there included myself, Dill, Jem, Atticus, Cal, Dr. Reynolds, Mr. Tate, and an aged, feeble, but wise-as-ever Miss Maudie.

It was late fall and a bit cool. We stood in the cemetery, encircling the coffin of Arthur Radley. The minister gave a rather superficial service, which irritated me. Boo may have stayed in that house his whole life, but in the end it shouldn't matter. Death is tragic no matter who the deceased is.

Short though the service was, through the whole of it the same sickening feeling of guilt that had gnawed at my insides for ten years chewed persistently at my gut. Dr. Reynolds and Mr. Tate left shortly after the burial. Atticus, Cal, and Miss Maudie congregated a little ways off leaving Jem, Dill, and me to say goodbye to Boo.

The three of us stood around the open coffin and felt the memories of our youth come flooding back to us. We stared down at his pale face and the snow-white hands resting on his chest. Not one of us said anything. All we did was stand in silence, the guilty feeling tearing at my insides. Finally my voice found me.

"Hey, Boo- er, Mr. Arthur. It's me, Jean Louise Finch." Jem and Dill flicked their heads in my direction for a moment then returned to gazing at the coffin. "Me and my brother, Jem Finch, and Dill Harris..." They both said hey. I felt so awkward, standing there and talking to a dead body.

"Ah, you used to leave little gifts for us in the knot-hole of the oak in your yard. And, um, I was rolling in a tire and ended up in your yard one time..." I looked to Jem and Dill for ideas.

"D'you remember us? You kind of, well, saved me and Jem that one night when Mr. Ewell attacked us..."

I had no clue what I was doing. "I guess you might also remember us holding a note to you on a fishing pole and peeping in your house one night... That wasn't the smartest, or nicest, thing to do, I guess... Us trying to make you come out when you kind of...um... couldn't..." I turned to Jem and Dill again. I don't think they knew any better than I exactly what we were doing.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered. Then everything started spilling out, one thing after another. "I'm really sorry, we're all sorry. We shouldn't have done you like that. And I'm sorry we didn't thank you for those little gifts in the tree or for saving us from Mr. Ewell. I wish so much that I could make it up to you, but then I never saw you again and your brother died and then you did and I never got a chance to tell you how grateful we were to you. And now it's too late to give you anything in return-!"

"I think you have, Scout. I think you all have."

We turned around and saw Atticus standing behind us. He looked so proud and I could not for the life of me figure out why. "What are you talking about, sir?" Dill asked.

Atticus just smiled. "I think it's the fact that we're here and you're apologizing now and everything, Scout," Jem offered.

"Better late than never," Miss Maudie said, joining our group. "Poor Arthur never knew anyone but his family, but watching you kids must've given him so much joy even if he could never meet you. That's what you've given him in return." Wise as ever.

Atticus, Cal, and Miss Maudie turned and started out of the cemetery. A few seconds later Jem followed. Dill and me stood there a moment more watching Boo. I shivered and Dill put his arm around me and led me after the others.

A gentle wind blew through us, whistling in our ears. "_You're welcome_..." I looked up for the source of the words but the only person nearby was Dill.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Did you hear something?" I said looking around slowly. Dill was still the only one close at hand. Then I saw it. Standing next to one of the gnarled old trees was Boo Radley. When I first saw him I didn't think he could be any lighter. But seeing his ghost made me realize I was wrong. I nodded in his direction and Dill followed my gaze. His jaw dropped when he saw Boo wave at him and disappear. He stared for a few more seconds until I snickered at him and pulled him along. I was satisfied that Boo forgave me.


End file.
